Book 4: Air
by Claudia McKnight
Summary: The war is over and the world is healing but these two Fire Nation siblings still have a long way to go to find their peace. Zuko journeys to find his mother and Azula is on a quest to find herself. NOTE: Azula and Zuko is not a pairing!
1. Chapter 1

"You're going to tell me where my mother is."

"What makes you think I would tell you that?" Ozai scoffed not looking up. "What makes you think I would allow you to bring that traitorous woman back into my country?"

"You forget," Zuko said coldly. "It's my country now. And how dare you call her a traitor. She saved my life and made you Firelord. I'd think you'd be just a little bit grateful but no. You are the traitor, she is a hero."

"The hero of a conspiratous failure," Ozai mocked. "She made you weak. The world was mine and you ruined it, you and that child who has the nerve to call himself the Avatar. You have betrayed your own blood. You are nothing."

"That's where you're wrong, my family betrayed me," Zuko said calmly. He wouldn't allow his father to best him this time. "Both you and Azula may have damaged me, scarred me, but you did not break me. No, you only made me stronger. Now this conspiratous failure is Firelord and if compassion is weakness I will admit it gladly, I am weak! With you out of the picture the world will heal and balance will be restored."

"Stupid boy! You dare accuse me..."

"Enough of this!" Zuko shouted. "You are going to give me what I came for. Tell me where she is!"

"You will get nothing from me."

"Tell me," Zuko demanded patience wearing thin. "Tell me!"

Ozai simply laughed saying nothing. Zuko's fingers slowly curled into fists. His father was just toying with him now, watching him suffer. Aang may have taken his bending away but he did not take his will. With and exasperated growl he turned flames sparking from his knuckles and flying wildly about him fueled by his frustration. His father just laughed louder at his retreat. Quickly exiting the cell Zuko slammed the door shut with all his might. The sound echoed through the vast halls of the prison accompanied by the ominous sound of Ozai's maniacal cackle.

"Lock the door," he growled at the guards. "And make sure it stays that way. I don't care if I ever see his face again."

Zuko quickly walked away eager to rid himself of this dank hole. He'd spent too much time in prisons in his life as it was. But last time he'd been here he'd been visiting a relative he actually cared about. Now the visits only served to torture him further. So intent he was on getting out of this place he didn't notice the approaching guard until he was right beside him.

"Excuse me, Firelord Zuko?" the guard said.

"What!" Zuko snapped.

"Sir, something is wrong with one of the prisoners..."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Zuko asked. The guard was clearly nervous but then again many Fire Nation soldiers were nervous around him. Some because they were afraid he'd punish them for believing him a traitor and others because of the harsh methods of the previous Firelords.

"Well, sir, it's... um, it's your sister."


	2. Chapter 2

Azula struck form after form trying to invoke her inner fire and nothing. No flames, no lighting, nothing. What was happening to her? She was a firebending prodigy, a skilled tactician, and a stonewall negotiator. Now she couldn't keep her emotions in check, her plans made about as much sense as an earthbender trying to fly, and her firebending was as if it had never existed. Slamming her fists against the wall she emitted something between a shriek and a hysterical sob. Turning her back against it she slid to the floor and hugged her knees to her chest. How had her life come to this? She once had everything, the world had been right at her fingertips but now she had nothing, she was nothing.

Suddenly the door to her cell opened shedding a little more light on her dark existence. Azula's head snapped up and she saw him standing there safe on the other side of the bars, the visitor she never would have expected.

"Zuko?" she said quickly brushing the tears from her face. "What are you doing here?"

"The guards told me something was wrong, that you've been in hysterics all day. I came to see what the problem was."

"You came to see what the problem was?" Azula said rising in her normal cat-like manner. "You want to know what the problem is? See for yourself!"

She spun around striking her arm forward middle and forefinger extended straight out. Zuko jumped back into a defensive stance preparing to deflect her lightning but none came. Instead of her usual look of malice Azula's face openly showed her despair and her arm dropped hopelessly to her side.

"My bending in gone," she said voice cracking.

"What?" Zuko said stunned. When they'd dueled weeks ago he'd known something was off with her but now her bending was just gone?

"You did this to me, didn't you?" she shrieked. "I heard what the Avatar did to Father. He'd done the same thing to me, hasn't he?"

"No, the Avatar didn't do this. If he had taken away your bending I would know. If there's a block on your bending it's entirely your own doing. Only you can get your bending back; believe me, I know."

"What are you talking about?" she asked snidely. "How could you possibly understand?"

"I understand more than you think. What happened to me wasn't as severe but it was similar. This sort of thing happens when your view of yourself changes. Your whole life you've had power and privilege, you've spent years controlling people, manipulating them. Now everything is different..."

Azula watched her brother, observed his movements. She was stunned by how much he'd changed over the last few months. He was so calm and there was no anger or resentment in his voice which she rightly deserved after trying to kill him nearly a dozen times. There was not a hint of his former hot-headedness or depression. Had the world really changed him that much? She could still remember the weak child he used to be but now he was strong, he'd grown up.

"Tell me, Azula, what is your purpose?" he asked.

"What?" she asked snapping out of her head space. "My purpose? Why would you want to know that?"

"Just answer the question."

"That's easy," she laughed. "It's... no, that's not it... it's... no, wait... it's... I, uh..."

"You don't know do you?" he asked softly.

Lower lip trembling Azula almost couldn't bring herself to say the word when suddenly it slipped from her tongue, "No."

In a brief moment of weakness her knees gave out and she fell into a sitting position on the floor burying her face in her hands. Never had she been at such a loss for words. Zuko's brow crinkled and he looked away. It was hard, almost disturbing to see her like this, a sobbing, broken down shell of her former self. He finally understood. No matter how bad the things his father had down to him might seem what he'd done to Azula was a hundred times worse. After all, it took a monster to make a monster.

_All my life I had some one there, guiding me back into the light when I faltered, _Zuko thought. _First Mother, then Uncle until I finally learned to choose my own path, not follow the one somebody else planned out for me. And what did she have? Him. She never even stood a chance, he never gave her one._

That's when it struck him, the perfect plan. He was going to give her the second chance she'd never had.

"I think I know just what you need," he said crouching down to her level.

"What?" she asked looking up.

"You aren't going to like it but I believe it's what's best for you right now. It was honestly the best thing that ever could have happened for me."

"What are you talking about?"

Zuko didn't answer her he just rose and turned towards the door. Azula jumped to her feet and slammed herself against the bars shaking them madly.

"Don't you walk away from me, Zuko!" she screamed.

Zuko stopped and looked back over his shoulder, "Don't worry, I'll see you soon."

"Don't you walk away from me!" she screamed even more desperately than before. "Zuko?"

Trying not to flinch at the agonizing desperation in her voice he kept walking. The door swung shut behind him with a deafening thud.

"Zuko!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Yes," Zuko said to the commanders standing behind him as he spread his plans out across the table. "I was a small Fire Navy vessel fully manned and brought to the harbor as quickly as possible."

"Are you planning a trip, Firelord Zuko?" one commander asked.

"It's not for me," he snapped but then took a deep breath calming himself. "It's for... uh, somebody else. Just see that it is done."

"Yes, Firelord Zuko."

The commanders bowed out leaving the Firelord to his thoughts. Sighing he collapsed into a nearby chair rubbing the bridge of his nose. Running a country the right way, with compassion and understanding, was so much harder than running it with fear and deception. But he'd sworn off that dark path. It was now his job to lead the Fire Nation back into an era of peace and help heal all the damage done to the world. But all that responsibility could ready weigh on a teenager's psyche.

There was a barely perceptible brush of fabric as the room's unknown visitor stepped out from behind the drapes.

"Zuko?" she asked quietly.

His head perked up, "Mai? What are you doing here?"

"Just came to see how you were doing with all this Firelord stuff," she answered.

"About as well as you'd figure," he said sinking lower into the chair. "Being sixteen and running a whole country is heard enough but with all this post war business... it's just so much to wrap my head around. I mean, we have a hundred years of damages to make up for and it's all on my head."

Mai walked over beside him and gently turned his head towards her, "And you're doing a great job. I believe in you, Zuko. Together you and the Avatar are going to heal the world. I know it."

"You always know what to say, don't you?" he asked.

"Of course, it's one of my many charms," she stated the corner of her mouth almost hinting at a smile.

She turned away from him and walked over to the table resting her arched hands against the papers, "So how goes your other project?"

"I just sent for the ship," he said rising. She looked at him eyes saying everything. "And I know you think it's crazy but I believe this is what she needs."

"And do you think she'll see it that way?"

He walked over and stood beside her, "Not at first, no, but eventually she'll come around."

"And you truly believe that?"

"I have to."

"I just hope you know what you're doing," she said.

"So do I," he admitted. "So do I."

Sighing he smoothed out the papers some more and tried to gather his thoughts. Was there any possible way this plan could work? Was he riding on the small chance that she could change? Or was he simply crazy?

"Y'know, sometimes I wish Uncle was here so he could tell me whether or not I'm doing the right thing. He always seemed to know what to do, especially when I didn't."

"I'm sure he'd come back if you asked him too," Mai said snaking her arms around Zuko's.

"No, I couldn't do that to him. He's finally happy there. Besides, how could I rob Ba Sing Se of its finest tea maker?" he paused. "He always used to tell me that I never thought things through and that's what was always getting me into trouble. But I have thought this through. I've spent hours going over my options again and again and every time I come to the same conclusion. This is what I have to do."

"Then trust in your own decision," Mai said. "You are Firelord now. Self-doubt is a luxury you can't afford."

"I was under the impression there wasn't any luxury I couldn't afford," Zuko joked receiving a look sharper than one of Mai stilettos. "But you're right, you're always right."

"You're just figuring that out now?"

He laughed and pulled her into a hug, "Don't ever let me forget how lucky I am to have you."

"Don't worry, I won't."


End file.
